The Last of England (film) explained

The Last of England
Director:Derek Jarman
Narrator:Nigel Terry
Cinematography:Derek Jarman, Christopher Hughes, Richard Heslop, Cerith Wyn Evans
Editing:Derek Jarman, Peter Cartwright, Angus Cook
Runtime:87 min.
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Budget:GBP£276,000

The Last of England is a 1987 British arthouse film directed by Derek Jarman and starring Tilda Swinton.

It is a poetic depiction of what Jarman felt was the loss of traditional English culture in the 1980s and his anger about Thatcher's England,[1] including the formation of Section 28 Local Government Act. It is named after The Last of England, a painting by Ford Madox Brown.[2]

One of the film's most famous scenes is of Tilda Swinton as a bride mourning her executed husband.[1] The scene was shot near the director's home on the beach of Dungeness, Kent.[2]

Jarman wrote a book, with the same title, to accompany the film.[3]

Cast

Awards

Derek Jarman received the 1988 Teddy Award in Berlin for the film. And Tilda Swinton received the jury prize for her performance.[4]

Reviews

On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an average score of 68%, based on 3 reviews.[5]

'What proof do you need the world's curling up like an autumn leaf?' wrote Time Out magazine.[6]

David Bezanson wrote that the film is “graphic and disorienting, yet also totally trite".[7]

Soundtrack album

Two versions of the soundtrack album were released on the Mute Records label. The LP has one side ("Bombers") by Simon Turner, and the other ("Diplomat") by a variety of performers, including Mayo Thompson with Albert Oehlen and Tilda Swinton; Andy Gill with Dean Garcia, Barry Adamson and Martin McCarrick, Brian Gulland and Diamanda Galas. The CD version includes all of this material and a third section, "Dead to the World", primarily by Turner.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kuc . Kamila . Last of England, The (1987) . screenonline.org.uk . 14 August 2018.
  2. Web site: Scovell . Adam . In Profile: Derek Jarman's The Last of England (1988) . 7 November 2014 . thedoublenegative.co.uk . 14 August 2018.
  3. Book: Jarman . Derek . Hirst . David L. . The Last of England . 1 January 1987 . Constable & Robinson . 0094680809 .
  4. News: Rose . Toby . Berlin Film Festival: why the Teddy Awards ceremony is one of the wildest parties on the festival circuit . 14 August 2018 . The Evening Standard . 6 February 2015.
  5. Web site: THE LAST OF ENGLAND (1987) . rottentomatoes.com . 13 August 2018.
  6. Web site: The Last of England . 29 November 2011 . timeout.com . 14 August 2018.
  7. Web site: Bezanson . David . The Last of England Review . contactmusic.net . 14 August 2018.